Picture it: we’re at a dinner party. The lighting is just right, warm and not overly bright. The centerpieces on the big table are tastefully done and small enough that you don’t have to try to talk around them. Our plates are filled with delicious food and our glasses have been topped off with a delicious red wine. We are all cozy and happy as we dig in to our dinner. Around us, there’s the low rumble of conversations happening, the occasional burst of laughter, silverware clinking against dishes. You and I happen to be sitting across the table from one another and you say, “So, tell me about yourself.”
This is not the moment for my memoir. You are not asking for me to unload my baggage or spill my guts. You’re making conversation and interested in getting to know me. If we continue to develop a friendship, down the road you’ll learn more. But for now, this is what I would tell you at a dinner party.
I am a therapist and work with individuals, couples and families, two days a week. The other days I stay home with my son . I’m married to a tall, handsome ginger who is my best friend. He is smart and nerdy in all the best ways. We have a four year-old son who is exactly as a four year-old should be: sweet, fun curious, hilarious, maddening, energetic and crazy-making.
After completing my undergrad, I worked in a variety of different jobs. I worked for several years in vocational ministry and for several years in higher education (Roll Tide!). I found that the part of every job that lit me up was sitting down with someone, hearing their story, and helping them try to make sense of it. My last stop vocationally was working with college women. As we talked through struggles with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, etc., I felt out of my depth. But I realized I did not want to be. I pursued my graduate degree in marriage and family therapy and began practicing soon after graduation. The longer I do this job, the more deeply I’m convinced that this is the right fit for me. You might say it’s my calling.
Here I am doing all of the talking. Tell me a little about you! I’d love for you to use the comment section to tell me the dinner party version of your story.
